Patrick Leahy, Chair of Judiciary does NOT agree with Senator Franken on the NSA
Let me just say that Leahy is more credible on this than Al Franken. Franken is touting how as a member of the JC, he's been briefed and is well and truly satisfied that NSA activity is fine and dandy and keeping us all safe. Well, Leahy has had more in depth briefings than the far junior Franken. Not only is he chair of Judiciary, but he's 3rd in line to the Presidency. Senator Franken was wrong on the Iraq War which he supported (though he wasn't yet in elected office). Senator Leahy bitterly opposed it, comparing the IWR to the Tonkin Gulf Resolution. Senator Leahy has served in the Senate since 1974. Senator Franken since 2008.
Leahy: NSA activity needs greater restrictions
<snip>
Vermont's senior senator says he was aware of the NSA wiretapping back in December and fought unsuccessfully for greater oversight. He would not say how much he knew about the programs' progress since then. Leahy says under the Patriot Act, the NSA wiretapping programs are legal, but he says they need more oversight and greater restrictions -- something he's been fighting to change since the Bush Administration.
"I've raised the same questions on this and other matters done by both the Bush administration and the Obama administration. I continue to raise those questions. I will continue use the judiciary committee to have clearer guidelines and restrictions on what programs can be used," Leahy said.
"The Supreme Court has made it very difficult to challenge these kinds of surveillance programs because they have, in effect, said you have to prove you were wiretapped or somehow under surveillance before you can challenge the legality of the program -- but of course this is all secret. We don't know who is being watched or whose emails are being intercepted and therefore the courts created this kind of perfect Catch-22. Legal experts say this makes it almost impossible for the American public to review the government's actions," said Vermont Law School's Cheryl Hanna.
<snip>
http://www.wcax.com/story/22553152/leahy
From May 16th of this year:
Sen. Leahy Looking for Answers on NSA Operations
Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont questions the legality of reported efforts to collect domestic phone call data. Leahy, the ranking minority member of the Judiciary Committee, tells John Ydstie that the news — if true — is the latest example of a White House pursuing policies without proper Congressional oversight.
(transcript at link)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5400377
He's been at this for years:
Leahy Challenges Domestic Spying Program
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/law/jan-june06/leahy_1-23.html
= new reply since forum marked as read
